Preparations are in full swing for European Microfinance Week 2018 (EMW), taking place 14 – 16 November in Luxembourg.
e-MFP is hosting the top event in the microfinance calendar renowned as a unique meeting point for all professionals working in the inclusive finance sector worldwide. With an unparalleled program and prestigious speakers, EMW is widely recognised for its high quality sessions and excellent networking opportunities. Last year's event attracted 500 participants from 66 countries.
On Wednesday 14 November, the first day of the conference as always will be ‘Action Group’ Day, where specialised working groups meet to build on their months of work by holding in-depth discussions and training on their focus topics such as: green inclusive and climate change finance; digital and rural finance.
During Thursday 15 and Friday 16 November, the line-up includes three plenaries: “Financial Inclusion through Technology (topic of this year’s European Microfinance Award), “Where next for microfinance: A view from The Founders” and "Is there room left for the 'little guy'?: a debate on the relevance of Tier 2/3 MFIs".
There is plenty in store with more than 80 organisations featuring in over 25 sessions covering pioneering topics such as: Making insurance markets work for the poor, recent trends in housing finance, crowdfunding, advancing access to financial services for refugees, financing clean energy, meeting the financial needs of smallholder farmers, financial education, youth finance, microfinance and the SDGs, social performance management, financial inclusion through technology, regulation in the Fintech/DFS space, client protection & Fintech/DFS and overindebtedness in Cambodia.
Confirmed speakers include: Essma Ben Hamida, Founder of Enda Tamweel; Godwin Eseiwi Ehigiamusoe, Founder of Lapo; Carmen Velasco, Founder of Promujer; Hans Dieter Seibel, Professor Emeritus; Laura Foose, SPTF; Sachin S Vankalas, LuxFLAG/e-MFP Maria Teresa Zappia, BlueOrchard Finance Ltd Ewa Bankowska, Microfinance Centre (MFC); Graham Wright, MicroSave; Raluca Dumitrescu, MicroEnergy International; Daniel Rozas, MIMOSA/e-MFP; Mir Shekib, Central Bank Afghanistan; Florian Berndt, GIZ; Jamie Anderson, CGAP; Patricia Richter, ILO; Anne Contreras-Muller, Arendt & Medernach; Dirk Zetzsche, University of Luxembourg; Sothearoath Oer, Credit Bureau Cambodia; Perrine Pouget, European Investment Fund; Katharine Pulvermacher, Microinsurance Network; Stefan Zelazny, Mobisol; Jürgen Hammer, Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation/SPTF; Hannah Siedek, European Investment Bank and Dina Pons, Incofin.
The announcement of the winner of the European Microfinance Award on Financial Inclusion for Technology will be made during the ceremony at the European Investment Bank on Thursday 15 November, to which all EMW participants are invited.
Christoph Pausch, Executive Secretary of e-MFP, said "Each year, European Microfinance Week evolves, both in the breadth and depth of discussion of issues in an increasingly-complex financial inclusion landscape, and in the ways those discussions are presented. We’re delighted to welcome so many top thought leaders and innovators to participate in a range of exciting different session formats, and to take advantage of the unparalleled opportunity for knowledge-sharing that only a conference like this can provide”.
EMW 2018 is the ideal opportunity to learn about the most recent innovations, trends and opportunities in the inclusive finance sector. For more information and to register, see www.e-mfp.eu.
